Intrapreneurship: How to spark change within your company

As we kicked off our Curiosity Intrapreneurship program 2025 we welcomed industry partner, Vickie King, to speak about intrapreneurship and why it’s important for students getting ready to enter the workforce. She drew from her vast experience being Head of Innovation at Australia Post, General Manager at Xero, and Chief Product Officer at various startups.

So what is intrapreneurship?

An intrapreneur is someone who has an enterprising sprit within an existing organisation to develop new ideas, products or processes. When you join a company you come in with fresh eyes and perspective which allows you to see things that are broken or can be improved. This puts you in a great position to innovate.

Unlike traditional entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship operates within the framework of established companies, creating a unique set of dynamics:

• Risk Profile: Intrapreneurs face minimal personal risk and benefit from a stable salary
• Resources: Access to company infrastructure, funding, networks, and existing teams
• Decision-Making: Need to work within organisational constraints and approval processes
• Intellectual Property: IP typically remains company-owned 
• Scope: Innovations need to align with company goals and typically utilise existing resources

Innovation Defined

Vickie presented a refreshingly straightforward definition of innovation:

• Something new used in an old way
• Something old used in a new way

This practical perspective emphasises that innovation doesn't necessarily require reinventing the wheel but rather finding novel applications or improvements to existing concepts.

Real-World Examples

3M Post-it Notes: What began as an employee's "failed" weak adhesive became the foundation for Post-it Notes when another employee envisioned its application for temporary bookmarks. This intrapreneurial success now generates approximately $2 billion in annual sales.

Flamin' Hot Cheetos: A Frito-Lay janitor noted the absence of spicy snacks targeting Latino consumers. He created his own chili seasoning for plain Cheetos and pitched directly to the CEO. This initiative transformed into a billion-dollar product line and dramatically altered his career trajectory.

Why pursue intrapreneurship and how to go about it

Benefits for Your Career:

• Builds reputation, visibility, and internal networks
• Develops customer-centric problem-solving skills
• Creates opportunities for creativity within structured environments

Things to consider:

• Ensure alignment with company strategy and risk appetite
• Validate customer needs with concrete data
• Research competitors and market trends
• Assess timing, resources, and competing priorities
• Secure management support and navigate organisational culture

The Curiosity Intrapreneurship Program series continues; read on for a look at session 2 and session 3.